Its’ a blazingly sunny day in this African country.
Beyond the road I can see smoking rising from the huts as lunch is prepared or… the thought of lunch makes my dry lips salivate. On the roadside where I stand. A heavy truck passés by spraying us with dust and diesel fumes.
Automatically, another microscopic layer of brown powder is added on our garments.
Today is like other days; hot, dusty, chaotic, fleeting into history as a cheetah on the savannah.
However there is a date, which was not a date of worth 65 years ago. The date I refer to is 6th of February .
Sixty five years ago in the saint Ann parish of Jamaica, a male child was born unto us, a comforter to some, liberator to many, a legend in music, a root in reggae. And we know him as Bob Marley.
6th Feb, his 65th anniversary. Raised in a Caribbean ghetto of Trenchtown like the messiah in Nazareth.
Through his music, in songs like, ‘Stand up for your rights, Africa unite, Buffalo soldier and to single guys,No woman no cry etc’. all with the inspirational embed message and the lovable reggae root tunes, which have cut across all ages, ranks, races and nations. A lot has been said, written about him, and the bottom line is: Bob Marley was a great musician, who pioneered reggae to become prosperous and famous world over. We owe him a lot.
Sad it is to know that this great icon had to die a preventable cancer disease.
Bob Marley picked up an injury that never healed on the right toe during a football match, it later developed into cancer. This was earlier on discovered but he refused to have his toe amputated due to his Rastafarian beliefs. Rastafarians believe that they have to keep their bodies whole. Courageous and yet worthless sacrifice, I have to say. He was worth more to the Rastafarian faith alive than dead.
On his deathbed in the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami, Florida. When the pain was unbearable, his breath shortened, his mind clear from the marijuana intoxication, as his life hung on the brink of that terrible and black abyss of death.
Bob Marley had seen the way to the everlasting music, then he also saw the truth of truth, the life and real immortal life men seek.
This is when Bob Marley had embraced Jesus. It was in 1980s.For on 4th November 1980 he was baptized.
His knees bowed and tongue confessed Jesus as his personal savior and not Halie Selassie.
For at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow and all tongues confess that He His Lord.
I know there are those out there ready to dispute it, but the eternal truth remains firm that Bob died a Born Again Christian.
We remember him this year, I remember him for his great music, deeds and his last Great Act. He had gained a lot, but knew that it profits man nothing to gain the whole world and lose his soul in the end. In his last words to his son Ziggy, he said ‘Money can’t buy life’. What else is there to say?
